Billiard game and apparatus

ABSTRACT

A billiard game and billiard game apparatus that includes at least two object balls that are different in size from one another. The billiard game and billiard game apparatus can also include two cue balls that are different in size from one another.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a game that is played on a billiard type table and game apparatus for playing the game. The game apparatus includes a plurality of object balls where at least two of the object balls have different sizes. The game apparatus also includes one or more cue balls in addition to the object balls. Playing the game with two cue balls having different sizes can make the game more difficult and further challenge the skills of the players.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Billiard sports, also known as cue sports, involve a wide variety of games that use a cue stick to strike billiard balls that move around on a cloth covered billiard table. There are different types of billiards games including, but not limited to, carom billiards which involve games played on billiard tables without pockets, pool which involves numerous games played on 7 foot, 8 foot or 9 foot length billiards tables generally having six pockets, and snooker and English billiards which involve games played on a billiard table with six pockets which has dimensions just under 12 feet by 6 feet.

Most billiards games are played with billiard balls which include one or two cue balls, balls that are generally white in color and that are struck by a player using a cue stick, and a number of object balls that are struck by the cue ball after the cue ball is hit with the cue stick. The number, type, diameter, color, and pattern of the balls differ depending on the specific type of billiards game being played. Billiard balls used for playing pool generally have a diameter of about 2.250 inches (they are often referred to as 2¼ inch balls) and a weight from about 5.5 to 6 ounces. English or British-style pool uses a plurality of two different colored unnumbered object balls, a white cue ball and a black 8 ball. The cue ball is slightly smaller than the object ball and the diameters for the most commonly used object balls are 2 inches and 2⅛ inches. Snooker uses what looks like a mixture of American and English style billiard balls—22 balls arranged as a rack of 15 unmarked red balls, six color balls placed at various predetermined spots on the billiard table, and a white cue ball. Snooker balls generally have a dimeter of about 2 1/15 inches but can vary depending on the size of the billiard table that is used for play.

Although existing billiard games involve different sized object balls depending on the game being played, all of the object balls for a particular game are of the same size. The present invention provides a billiard game and apparatus that includes object balls of different size and sets that introduce new elements of strategy and tactics which allow a lesser skilled player to outwit a better billiards shooter to win the game.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a game apparatus for playing a game on a billiards table that includes a plurality of object balls that include object balls made of at least two different sizes. One size of the object balls may be a size equivalent to a standard size billiard ball (no matter what type of billiard game) and another size of the object balls is a size that is smaller than the standard size object balls. The object balls may have at least 4 different colors depending on the number of players.

In one exemplary embodiment, the game apparatus includes at least three same sized object balls that are distinguishable from one another and at least three same colored object balls that are smaller in size than the three same sized object balls. The game apparatus may also include additional object balls having the same size as the three same sized object balls but that are different in color from the three same sized object balls and also different in color from the smaller sized object balls. The game apparatus may further include at least one cue ball and, in another exemplary embodiment, it may include two cue balls where one cue ball has a size equivalent to a standard size billiard ball and the other cue ball is smaller in size than a standard size billiard ball.

The game apparatus of the present invention may also include a diamond shaped ball rack for retaining and positioning at least some of the object balls, preferably 15 same sized object balls, and a cue ball. The game apparatus of the present invention may further include a flat instrument having a straight edge and at least one opening through the flat instrument for facilitating the drawing of one or more lines on a billiard table surface. The game apparatus of the present invention may also include a plurality of removable position markers for marking ball positions on a billiard table surface.

In yet another exemplary embodiment, the game apparatus includes a first set of object balls having a predetermined size, a second set of object balls that includes three object balls having a size smaller than the predetermined size of the first of the first set of object balls. The game apparatus may further include a third set of object balls that includes three balls having the same predetermined size as the first set of object balls and distinguishable indicia that enables a player to sink the third set of object balls in a pocket of a billiard table in a sequential order. The first set of object balls may include balls having at least two different colors depending on the number of players playing the game. For example, if there are two players then the first set of object balls may include balls having two different colors and if there are three players, then the first set of object balls may include balls having three different colors. The game apparatus may further include two cue balls with one cue ball being the same size as the first set of object balls and the other cue ball being smaller in size than the first set of object balls.

The present invention is also directed to a game kit for playing a game on a billiards table that includes a plurality of object balls having at least two object balls that are different in size from one another and two cue balls. The two cue balls may include one cue ball that is smaller in size than the other cue ball. The plurality of object balls in the game kit may include a first set of object balls having a size equivalent to a standard size billiard ball and a second set of object balls that includes three balls having a size smaller than the standard size billiard ball. The game kit may also include a third set of object balls that includes three standard size billiard balls having distinguishable indicia that enables a player to sink the third set of object balls in a pocket of a billiard table in sequential order.

The present invention also includes a method of playing a billiard game where the game includes a plurality of object balls where at least two of the object balls are different in size from one another and two cue balls where one cue ball is smaller in size than the other cue ball, where the method includes the steps of arranging at least some of the plurality of object balls and the smaller cue ball together in a beginning position, breaking the beginning position arrangement of the object balls and the smaller cue ball using the other cue ball, and sinking at least some of the object balls in one or more pockets of a billiard table to win the game. The object balls may include a first set of object balls having a size equivalent to a standard size billiard ball, a second set of object balls that includes three balls having a size smaller than the standard size billiard ball, and a third set of object balls that includes three standard size billiard balls having distinguishable indicia that enables a player to sink the third set of object balls in sequential order, and the method of playing the billiard game may further include the optional step of sinking one or more of the second set of object balls to create an advantage for a player. The method of playing the billiard game may also further include the step of sinking the third set of object balls in sequential order to win the game.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and

FIG. 1 is a schematic showing the position of removable ball position markers on a billiard table and lines drawn on a billiard table for arranging the plurality of object balls and one cue ball in a beginning position for playing the billiard game of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a flat instrument for facilitating the drawing of lines on a billiard table for positioning object balls on the billiard table;

FIG. 3 is a schematic showing the drawing of “the D” line on a billiard table using the flat instrument shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic showing the beginning position of the object balls and one of the cue balls for playing the billiard game of the present invention with three players;

FIG. 5 is a schematic showing the first set of object ball or Crew Ball positions of an opponent when they are returned to the billiard table after a player or team makes a cannonade with the second set of object balls or cannonade balls; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic showing the beginning position of the object balls and one of the cue balls for playing the billiard game of the present invention with two players.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The game apparatus of playing the billiard game of the present invention generally includes a plurality of object balls having at least two object balls that are different in size. The game apparatus may also include two cue balls where one cue ball is smaller than the other. The object balls are balls that are hit with a cue ball and a cue stick is used to hit the cue ball. In one exemplary embodiment, the plurality of object balls includes three sets of object balls. A first set of object balls includes a plurality of same sized balls having a predetermined size (for example, the predetermined size could be the size of a standard size billiard ball), a second set of object balls includes three same sized object balls that are smaller in size than the first set of object balls, and the third set of object balls includes three same sized balls having the same size as the first set of object balls and having distinguishable color and/or indicia that enables a player to sink the third set of object balls in a pocket of a billiard table in sequential order. The first set of object balls may comprise balls having a number of different colors depending on the number of players playing the billiard game of the present invention. For example, if two players are playing the billiard game, the first set of object balls may include balls having two different colors and if three players are playing the billiard game, the first set of object balls may include balls having three different colors. All of the balls in the first set of object balls are distinguishable in size from the balls in the second set of object balls and are also distinguishable in color and/or indicia from the balls in the second set of object balls. Further, all of the balls in the first set of object balls are distinguishable in color and/or indicia from the balls in the third set of object balls. In addition, all of the balls in the second set of object balls are distinguishable in size from the balls in the third set of object balls and are also distinguishable in color and/or indicia from the balls in the third set of object balls.

The game apparatus of the billiard game of the present invention may also include a diamond shaped ball rack for retaining and positioning at least some of the object balls and one of the cue balls (the Poison Cue Ball) in a beginning position and a plurality of removable ball position markers for marking ball positions on a billiard table surface. In addition, the game apparatus of the present invention may also include a flat instrument having a straight edge and at least one opening through it for facilitating the drawing of one or more lines on a billiard table surface used for playing the billiard game of the present invention.

The purpose of the billiard game and apparatus of the present invention is to provide a billiard game that introduces brand new elements of strategy and tactics that allow the lesser skilled player to outwit the better player/shooter and win the game. The billiard game and apparatus of the present invention uses different ball sizes which introduces into the game balls with different masses, kinetic properties, shooting angles, spin, inertia, and post-strike momentum which, as a result, drastically alters pool shot dynamics, tactics, and strategy. Thus, the available strategies in the billiard game and apparatus of the present invention are limited only by the cleverness of any observant player and thereby provides a competitive, socializing, and intriguing billiard game for players.

The billiard game and apparatus of the present invention can be played on any type of conventional billiard table having six pockets. A first exemplary embodiment of the billiard game, game apparatus, and billiard game rules will now be described. In the first exemplary embodiment, the game apparatus of the present invention may relate to a pirate game theme and includes a set of 23 balls which includes three sets of object balls and 2 cue balls. The first set of object balls includes 15 same sized balls which for purposes of describing this exemplary embodiment of the game and apparatus will be referred to as “Crew Balls”, the second set of object balls includes 3 same sized balls that are smaller in size than the size of the object balls in first set of object balls which for purposes of describing this exemplary embodiment of the game and apparatus will be referred to as “Cannonade Balls”, and the third set of object balls includes 3 same sized balls having the same size as the size of the object balls in the first set of object balls and having distinguishable color and/or indicia that enables a player to sink the 3 balls in the third set of object balls in a pocket or pockets of a billiard table in sequential order which for purposes of describing this exemplary embodiment of the game and apparatus will be referred to as the “Treasure Balls”. This first exemplary embodiment of the game and apparatus is played using three players or three teams and each player or team must battle and defeat the opposing player or team by sinking all of the Treasure balls in a predetermined sequential order.

FIG. 1 is a schematic showing the position of removable ball position markers 10 on a billiard table 12 and lines 14 drawn on a billiard table for arranging the plurality of object balls and one cue ball in a beginning position for playing the billiard game of the present invention. A top plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a flat instrument 16 for facilitating the drawing of lines 14 on a billiard table 12 for positioning object balls on the billiard table 12 is shown in FIG. 2. The straight edge 18 of flat instrument 16 can be used to draw straight baulk line 20 on billiard table 12 and holes or openings 22 in flat instrument 16 can be used to draw “the D” line 24 as shown in FIG. 3. “The D” line 24 can be drawn by putting a marking implement such as a chalk pencil, for example, through one of the openings 22 in flat instrument 16 and then rotating flat instrument 16 in the direction of arrow X like a compass so that the marking implement creates “the D” line 24. The distance between two marks on the sides of any existing pool table can be used as the meter for the radius of the arc. However, it will be noted that the resulting “D” dimension radius will be larger than the “D” dimension radius on a snooker table.

FIG. 4 is a schematic showing the beginning position of the object balls and one of the cue balls for playing the billiard game of the present invention with three players. The rules of play for the first exemplary embodiment of the billiard game and apparatus of the present invention are as follows:

The Crew Balls:

The crew balls are equivalent to the first set of object balls 30 in the first exemplary embodiment of the billiard game and apparatus of the present invention. After the break, each player or team of players tries to eliminate one of the Crew Balls 30 which have three different colors and/or indicia that will eventually relate to the three players or teams. For example, if the Crew Balls 30 are comprised of three different colors such as red, yellow, and blue, each player or team of players tries to eliminate one of the red, blue or yellow sets of Crew Balls 30. The color and/or indicia of these Crew Balls 30 that is the target for each player or team is determined once a player or team sinks a given ball having a specific color and/or indicia. If that were a red ball, for example, that player or team must sink all the remaining red balls before proceeding to the Treasure balls.

Crew Ball Combinations: Crew balls can be used in combinations as long as the first ball of that combination is that player's or team's color and/or indicia. Crew Ball combinations are not allowed if the first ball after hitting the cue ball is not that player's or team's color and/or indicia. Hitting an opponent's Crew Ball first is illegal and ends that player's or team's turn.

Crew Ball and Cannonade Ball Scratch: If a player or team scratches a Cue Ball while shooting at a Crew Ball or Cannonade Ball, the turn is over. The following player or team then has the Cue Ball “in hand” and may commence shooting from inside Treasure Island 40, which is the area inside the straight baulk line 20 and “the D” line 24. Post scratch shots from inside Treasure Island 40 must only shoot game balls forward of the straight baulk line 20. Shooting a post-scratch shot within Treasure Island 40 or behind the straight baulk line 20 line is not permitted.

Crew and Cannonade Ball Combinations: Crew Balls may be used in combination with Cannonade Balls as long as the Crew Ball is the first ball in the combination followed by a Cannonade Ball, or if the Cannonade Ball is the first, the next in line must be that player's or team's Crew Ball. Other player's or team's Crew Balls may be used in combinations but only after the shooting a player's or team's Crew Ball in sequence. Shooting another player's or team's Crew Ball first results in loss of the shooter's turn.

After all of a player's or team's Crew Balls are sunk, a scratch results in loss of the game.

The Cannonade Balls:

The Cannonade Balls are equivalent to the second set of object balls 34 in the first exemplary embodiment of the billiard game and apparatus of the present invention. Unique to the billiard game of the present invention, Cannonade Balls 34 provides an extra layer of strategy and tactics. Smaller than the first and third set of object balls (and smaller than regulation or standardized sized billiard balls when the first and third set of object balls are standard size billiard balls), the 3 cannonade balls 34 are always returned to the table after being sunk.

Using the Cannonade Balls:

-   -   Cannonade Balls may be sunk individually to gain position for         other shots on the table without losing a turn.     -   Cannonade Balls may be sunk and replaced to their original table         spots indefinitely.

When making a cannonade (see next step), a player or team must declare that and go for the Cannonade, or immediately return the just sunk Cannonade ball to a marked, Cannonade Ball start position** on the table.

-   -   **Cannonade Balls are replaced onto the table starting with the         center

Cannonade Ball position first. If that position is covered by any ball, the just sunk Cannonade ball is returned to the side position marker on the same side of the table that the ball was sunk. If all Cannonade Ball marker positions are occupied, a cannonade Ball is placed directly behind the ball occupying the marker.

Making a Cannonade:

If a player or team sinks all 3 Cannonade Balls 34 in continuous sequence, all of the opponent's crew balls come back onto the table. This can be a real game-changer! After a successful Cannonade, the opponent's already pocketed Crew Balls are brought back up onto the table and placed in a straight line from the middle rack marker toward the rear of the table. In the 3 team or 3 player game of the first exemplary embodiment of the billiard game of the present invention, the retuning Crew Balls 30 are placed in 2 straight lines centering on the top rack spot marker position as shown in FIG. 5.

The Treasure Balls:

The Treasure Balls are equivalent to the third set of object balls 36 in the first exemplary embodiment of the billiard game and apparatus of the present invention. Again unique to billiard game of the present invention, the 3 Treasure Balls 36 have a separate set of game rules. The 3 Treasure Balls 36 are: the Key Ball 37, the Treasure Chest Ball 38, and the Treasure Ball 39. The Treasure Balls 36 must be sunk in the order of Key Ball 37, Treasure Chest Ball 38 and Treasure Ball 39 in that specific order to win the game. Sinking the Treasure Balls 36 out of sequence (with the exception of the Treasure ball 39—see below) results in a game loss.

Treasure Balls 36 cannot be used in combination with any other ball.

Treasure Balls 36 cannot be used with the Poison Cue 41.

The Key Ball:

deliberately eccentric, the Key Ball 37 will wander in its own direction if the shooter is not careful. The Key Ball 37 is the first of the Treasure Balls 36 that must be sunk to get to the Treasure ball 39 and win the game. Once the Key Ball 37 is sunk, the Treasure Ball 39 may no longer be used to bring individual opponent's Crew Balls 30 back onto the Table. (See Treasure Ball section below)

If the Key Ball 37 is sunk before a player or team has all of his/her/their Crew Balls 30 off the table, the game is lost.

A scratch on the Key ball 37 or any Treasure Ball 36 results in a game loss.

The Treasure Chest Ball:

Second in the treasure ball sequence following the Key Ball 37 is the non-eccentric ‘Treasure Chest Ball’ 38 which has the same restrictions as the other 2 Treasure Balls: A scratch or out-of-sequence sinking of the Treasure. Chest Ball 38 results in a game loss.

The Treasure Ball:

The final goal of the billiard game of the present invention is to win the game by burying the Treasure Ball 39 in a pocket of the player's or team's choice. Unlike the other two Treasure Balls (namely the Key Ball 37 and the Treasure Chest Ball 38), however, the Treasure Ball 39 can be used during the Crew Ball phase of the game. Before a player or team sinks the Key Ball 37 after his/her/their Crew Ball phase, any player or team can pull an opponent's sunken Crew Ball back onto the table, one Crew Ball per Treasure Ball 39 sinking. In the 3 player or 3 team game of the first exemplary embodiment of the billiard game of the present invention, which Crew Ball is returned to the table is at the discretion of the player or team sinking the Treasure Ball 39. Crew Balls returned to the table via the Treasure Ball 39 are placed on the top rack spot marker position.

Important Treasure Ball Rule: Once the Key Ball 37 is sunk, players or teams may no longer use sinking the Treasure Ball 39 to bring an opponent's Crew Balls 30 back onto the table. Sinking the Treasure Ball 39 out of sequence once the Key Ball 37 is sunk results in loss of the game.

The Cue Balls:

Each billiard game set or apparatus of the present invention comes with not one, but 2 cue balls. One cue ball is a normal, regulation or standard size cue ball. The other is ominously dubbed the ‘Poison Cue Ball’ 41.

The Poison Cue Ball:

Deliberately made slightly smaller than the regular or standard size Cue Ball just to make things more difficult and to test players' skill, the Poison Cue Ball 41 can be used to get out of a tight game situation, but using the Poison cue ball 41 comes with a cost. When a player or team uses the Poison Cue Ball 41 just once, their turn is over.

A Poison Cue Ball Scratch: In the course of game-play during the Crew ball phase, if the Poison Cue Ball 41 is sunk, or leaves the table surface, the turn is over. The Poison Cue Ball 41 is then returned to the rear-most marker as it was in the ship-rack (diamond shaped ball rack) at the beginning of each game.

A Poison Cue Ball Scratch after the Crew Ball phase results in a game loss.

Like the Cannonade Balls 34, the Poison Cue Ball 41 is always in play and on the table.

The Poison Cue Ball 41 may not be used to shoot any treasure ball 36 in any phase of the game.

FIG. 6 is a schematic showing the beginning position of the object balls and one of the cue balls for playing a second exemplary embodiment of the billiard game of the present invention with two players. FIG. 6 also shows a diamond shaped ball rack 50 which may be included as part of the game apparatus of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, the second exemplary embodiment of the 2 player/2 team billiard game of the present invention requires the beginning position of the Treasure Chest Ball 38 to be in the center-forward position of the diamond shaped crew ball rack 50. Further, the Treasure Ball 39 is positioned equidistantly between the Key Ball 37 and the rear most Cannonade Ball 34. The number of Crew Balls 30 per player or team is increased to seven balls and the Crew Ball 30 order is random within the diamond shaped crew ball rack 50. The Poison cue ball 41 remains in the same starting position as it did in the first exemplary embodiment of the billiard game of the present invention for three players or three teams.

The detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention herein shows various exemplary embodiments of the invention. These exemplary embodiments and modes are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following disclosure is intended to teach both the implementation of the exemplary embodiments and modes and any equivalent modes or embodiments that are known or obvious to those reasonably skilled in the art. Additionally, all included examples are non-limiting illustrations of the exemplary embodiments and modes, which similarly avail themselves to any equivalent modes or embodiments that are known or obvious to those reasonably skilled in the art.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that numerous billiard games using billiard game apparatus that include at least two object balls that are different in size as in the described exemplary embodiments of the invention may be produced and utilized to arrive at a billiard game that introduces new elements of strategy and tactics to be considered by a player. Therefore, other combinations and/or modifications of structures, arrangements, applications, proportions, elements, materials, or components used in the practice of the billiard game and apparatus of the instant invention that include at least two object balls that are different in size, in addition to those not specifically recited, can be varied or otherwise particularly adapted to specific environments, manufacturing specifications, design parameters, or other operating requirements without departing from the scope of the instant invention and are intended to be included in this disclosure.

Unless specifically noted, it is the Applicant's intent that the words and phrases in the specification and the claims be given the commonly accepted generic meaning or an ordinary and accustomed meaning used by those of ordinary skill in the applicable arts. In the instance where these meanings differ, the words and phrases in the specification and the claims should be given the broadest possible, generic meaning. If any other special meaning is intended for any word or phrase, the specification will clearly state and define the special meaning. 

1. A game apparatus for playing a game on a billiards table comprising: a plurality of object balls wherein said plurality of object balls includes a first set of object balls having a size equivalent to a standard size billiard ball and a second set of object balls comprising three object balls having a size smaller than a standard size billiard ball; and two cue balls wherein one cue ball is smaller in size than the other cue ball.
 2. (canceled)
 3. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said plurality of object balls includes object balls having at least 4 different colors.
 4. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus further includes a diamond shaped ball rack capable of retaining and positioning sixteen same sized object balls and the smaller sized cue ball.
 5. (canceled)
 6. (canceled)
 7. (canceled)
 8. (canceled)
 9. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said plurality of object balls further comprises a third set of object balls comprising three balls having the same size as the first set of object balls and at least one of a distinguishable color and indicia that enables a player to sink the third set of object balls in a pocket of a billiard table in a sequential order.
 10. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first set of object balls comprise at least two different colors.
 11. (canceled)
 12. (canceled)
 13. (canceled)
 14. (canceled)
 15. (canceled)
 16. (canceled)
 17. (canceled)
 18. A method of playing a billiard game wherein the game includes a plurality of object balls which includes a first set of object balls having a size equivalent to a standard size billiard ball, a second set of object balls comprising three balls having a size smaller than the standard size billiard ball, and a third set of object balls comprising three standard size billiard balls having distinguishable indicia that enables a player to sink the third set of object balls in sequential order and two cue balls wherein one cue ball is smaller in size than the other cue ball, where the method includes the steps of: arranging at least some of the plurality of object balls and the smaller cue ball together in a beginning position; breaking the arrangement of said at least some of the plurality of object balls and the smaller cue ball using the other cue ball; sinking one or more of the second set of object balls to create an advantage for a player; and sinking at least some of the plurality of object balls in one or more pockets of a billiard table to win the game.
 19. (canceled)
 20. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of sinking the third set of object balls in sequential order to win the game. 